Beef Bobotie

Bobotie has been recognized as South Africa's national dish. With influences introduced by the spices of Cape Malay cooking, the medieval culinary practices of the Dutch settlers to the indigenous practices of rearing and eating beef, it is no wonder that this melting pot is the rainbow nation's national dish.​

There are many ways of making bobotie and a vast variety of recipes can be found on the net that at times it is difficult to tell which is the most authentic bobotie. A traditional bobotie is said to have 6 key elements which influence the flavor, cooking technique, and consistency of the dish. These are curry spice, cinnamon, jam, raisins, bread soaked in milk, and bay leaves. The result should be a balance between spicy and sweet, however, the sweetness should never overpower the dish.

Some people have described it as a type of meatloaf, or a dish not dissimilar to moussaka. The consistency of the bobotie varies from being a stiff meatloaf type of result to a more softer mincemeat sauce type of consistency. Traditionally, it is a meat dish made with minced beef, lamb, or even ostrich.

As people's preferences for specialized diets have grown, there are also vegetarian and vegan alternatives for this dish. It is custom to serve bobotie with spicy yellow rice, but any type of plain rice or a mildly seasoned pilau rice will go very well with bobotie.